Fastening-inserting machine



vApril 1927. fe

1,623,279 -T. H. SEELY FASTENING lNSERTING MACHINE Filed July 22,'1920 5sheets-shame y Y 1,623,279 Aprll 5, 1927. -T HISEELY I FASTENINGINSERTING MACHINE Filed July 22. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Patented pr. 55, 1927. Y.

' 'monks n. Ysnai-fa, or namen, nassacnnsmfrs, assieme fro narransnonna- CHNRY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEVI JERSEY, A CORIPORATVION OFNEW JERSEY.

Application filed July 22,'

The present invention is-herein shown and described with particularyreference to its applicationA to machines for inserting tastenings inlastingboots and shoes, although 1n various of its aspects it is notrestricted to such use. In the drawings the invention is illustratedy asembodied in a lasting machine which Works on different portions ot theupper materials successively, the machine being of 'the type rknovvn as'the hand method' machine. A machine of this type is'd'isclosed inLetters Patent of the United States No. 584,744, granted June l5, 1897,

upon application ot Ladd 85 Mclleely.

In the use ot machines ot' this general type, particularly such machinesas embody the inventionA of. Letters Patent of the United States No.1,477,0l1granted December 11, 1923, on my application for side lastn ingshoes, particularly Welt shoes, it is. required to drive tivo Widelydifferent kinds of fastenings, for example a three and onehal'f or-ourounce tack for lasting the sides, which is a longer tack than themachine as previously builtfis designed to handle, and a small tack, torexample a one and one-halt ounce tack, for the heel seat. A singleseparator operates to separate a tack ot either` kind, the racevvaybeing moved to present in operative relation to the separator either thetack channel containing the long tacks or the tack channel containingthe short tacks; An object ot the present invention is to provide amachine in theuse ot which the separation ot a tack in each cycle ot themachine Will be assuredfvvheth'er the mechanism is set to deliver ashort tack or a long tack and notwithstanding Wide divergenre in thelength of the tacks, failure of the separator to separate a tack' ateach operation, unless a malformed tack is presented tothe separator orsome other ace' cident occurs, being eliminated. g

The raceivays ot the machine are usually arranged at an angle ot thirtydegrees to the horizontal, this having been found ample to insure thatthe tacks will' move b' oravity .'57 edown the raceivay channels withVthe tack heads in shingled7 relation, that is, With the head oalowvertack under the head of the next higher tack. The stems of thetacks in the raceway channels do not hang exactly 1920. serial' nu..398,056.

vertical Vbut incline approximatelyv ten or twelve degrees toward thetack-pot Vat an angle to the vertical which may he called the naturalhanging angle of the-tack-- The tack gate, which closes the end of therace separatorV blade', is in a vertical plane-as is also the tackpassage into which the tack is drawn by the j blade and released andthrough which' the tack falls after its separavvvay after a tack hasbeen sepa-rated by the tion into the lack pocketin the `Wiper then i ilo ted beneath it. After much eX-perimenA tation it Was discovered thatAtack Aseparation would be facilitated and' insurancercouldsbe A providedagainst cloggingof tacks. if the direction of `the tackv separatorpassageV andthe plane ot reciprocation of the tack? gate Were arrangedout ot'the vertical and more nearly at the naturalhanging angle of thetack stems in the raceivay Accordingly a teature'ot thepresentinventionconsistsin an .organization including an inclined race- Way having aplurality of channels in which the tack stems hang at an angle to thevertical, and asseparator for separating tacks from either channel in`the racevvay andk releasing them ina tack passage through which eachtackt'alls after separation, saidl passage being inclinedatfian anglet-o theV vertical approximating' the natural hanging angle of Ythe tackstems in the raceway. Preferably the tack gate is arranged toreciprocate in a'plane parallel to the 'direction Vof the tack passageand hence ata similar soV angle to the vertical. lt has vbeen found thatthe angle ot the passage and gate needl not permit a swinging movementof the lower.

portion ot the raceway'so thatveithertack .oft separation channel couldbe positioned in operative rela-.j Y

tion to lthe separator. It. is desirable, in order to insure freepassage of thetacksV along the tack channels, lthat the channels be 6.9separatorand 'theV lower end of the raceway; i "Fig llis a detail inlperspective of parts continuous from end* to end. Accordingly a featureof the mvention consists 1n a raceway provided with-tack channels lwhicheX- f tend from the interior ofthe tack pot to the separator withoutVmovable joint, the

raceway beingarranged for movement about f. a virtual pivot at its pointof passage through the wall ofthe tack jpot.`

- ItV is desirable that the lower end of the raceway be'carefullyadjustedwith relation j to the tack separator to insure free move- .mentof the separator, to enable slight inacseparator.

curacies. in machining ofthe partsvtorbe.

taken care ofwithout laborious'iitting, and

to. compensate for maladjustment resulting from'wear or other causes. VAfeature of the Another feature of the invention consists i `infan'Vimproved organization including the novel construction and arrangementof tack pot,raceways andv separator as above defscribed, with an edgegage movable into and fout of roperative position, and power means isounderfcontrol of the operator for moving the gage? into` and yout ofoperative `position and yfor shifting the raceways to control the size jn 'of a vertical shaft 24.

of the tack. Y

' connected mechanism;

These and other features of theinvention Vwill appear more fully from"the following description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings` and -will ybe pointedfout in the appended claims.

' Inthe drawings, l

Figpl is aside elevation Vo-f1amachine embodying 'the present invention,the base of fthe machine being omitted and the column partly brokenaway;

Fig. 2 is a detail in side elevation, partly insectiOn, of parts shownin Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is -a plan viewV of the edge gage shifting mechanism;

. Figi Alis a detail in elevation shown inV Fig. 3; v

Fig. V5 is asectional detail of parts shown inFigt; .1'

j Fig. 6 isa plan view of theknee leverand of lparts Fig. V7 is a detailof the roll carrying arm Y of the gripper closing rockshaft;

in Fig. 7;

lFigz is a detail, partly in section, of the updra'wlever fulerum pinland parts shown .'Fig. 9is a side elevation of the tack pot andraceway; Y Y

Fig. jis a sectional detail of the tack shown in Fig. 9;

j Fig. 12 is aY plan view of the tack pot and .Y raeeway; and

yF ig. A113 is a sectional view of the tack pot.

vA gripper 10 is given the usual closing, up-

draw andA overdraw movements by mecha. msm similar in function to thatshown m the patent to Ladd & McFee-ly above referred to except inrespects hereinafter noted.

rlhe shoe bottom is held against a rest 12 with its sidepositionedagamst one or the other of two edge gages 13, 14. Areciproeating wiper 15 is provided to wipe the ten-cY sioned upper intolasted position upon the shoe bottom and a tack is fed in eachy cycleofthe machine from oneor the other of two raceway channels 16, 17 to apocket in the wiper by which it is carried-in position ,to be driven bya driver 18. rlhe wiper is earried by a horizontally reciprocating slide19 which is actuated by a lever 20 operated by a cam 2l on the shaft'.,'llaeks are partially driven when driver stops'22 are positionedbeneath a collar 28 upon the driverv bar and are completely drivenwhenthe stops 22 are removed from beneath the collarV 23, the stopsbeing operated by rocking movement rolls which engage a groove in acollar 26.

Movement of the yoke 25 is effected Vby rocking movement of a verticalshaft 27 through connections to a pleater lever 28 pivoted at 29,lateral movements of which are utilized to rock the shaft 27 by means ofthe mecha* nism shown in Figs. y1 and 6. The pivot 29 of the pleaterleverv 28 is a stud fixed by a set screw 30 in a bracket 82 iiXed tolugs 33 on the column by bolts 34s. The pleater lever 28'has on its rearend segment teeth' which engage corresponding teeth in a segment piece35 clamped by screws 37 to the vertical shaft 27. Lateral movement ofthe lever 28 will, by the mechanism described, cause rocking movement ofthe shaft 27 andV hence of the yoke 25 to control. ythe pleatingmovements of the gripper 10. To yieldingly maintain the pleater lever invarious position of adjustment and to enable the operator, bythe feel,to tell when the pleating mechanism` is properly set, anv arm 38 isclamped by screws "39 to the rockshaft 27 and extends to a position overthe stud 29 on which the pleater lever 28 is pivoted. ln the stud 29 isan upwardly spring-pressed plunger 4:0 arranged to engage one of anumber of recesses in the lower face of the arm 38. The pleater lever'28 is operated by a ness,

limited, in one direction, by a screw 52 threaded into it and arrangedto engage the column 2, and., in the other direction, by a` vscrew 54threaded through a lug on the bracket 32 and arranged to be engaged by aprojection 56 of the lever 28.

The position of the edge gages 13, 14 and the operation of othermechanisn'i to be described is controlled by longitudinal niove- V42,vsuch movement being j )ermittedby the slot 48. The rod 46 which formsthe'pivot yof the bar 44 carries a collar .5T lined thereto by a. eetscrew 58 to support the bar 44 and extends upward-through twobcarings'E), 60

in a member 62 which is loosely mounted on the roclrshait by twobearings G4, 66. The member 62 has a rearward extension G8 havingtherein a spring vplunger 7 0 which bears against the column 2 and actsthrough the member 62 to hold thevbar 44 normally rin an outwardposition. lv'lovcn'ient oi'l the member 62 is limited by. stop screwsG3, 65 threaded through the member 02 and arranged alternately to engagethe column 2 in the respective limited-positions of the movement ot themember. The rod 40 is clamped near its upper end in the bearing 60 by ascrew 61 and at its yupper end has an angularly disposed portion formedas a dog 72 to en gage a notch in a sleeve or tube 74 surrounding theroclrshatti27. rhe dog 72 forms an operative connection between thesleeve 74 and the push bar 44 so that when the bar is pushed inwardly orrearwardly of themachine the member 62 will be rocked-about the shaft 27as an axis againstthe spring" plunger and the doo' 72 will cause aslight rotation oi the sleeve (4 about theshat't 27. This slightrotation is effective, by nechanism now to be described, to canse rpowershifting ofthe edge gages 18, 14, movement oit the driver stops 22 tochange the stroke of the driver, and movement or" the raceway to bringone or the other ot the tack channels 16,117'int'o operative relation tothe separator and thereby change the kind of tacks supplied to the wiper15. The upper end of the sleeve 74 is reduced and one branch 79 of aY-shaped member is clamped to the reduced portion ot the sleeve by ascrew 81. The other branch 82 ot the Y-member is mounted loosely on therockshatt 27. The stem of the Y-member ie formed as a 4handle 83 bywhich the sleeve 74 maybe rocked by hand are if desired.- Mounted on alpin 84 in the upper tace 'of the portion 81 of the Y-mcmber 4is a'pawl86 (Fig. which is held. vby Va springf? in engagementwith a ratchet 8S"shown as having sin teeth. The ratchet isl loosev on the shatt'27andlias fixed-to its up-v per tace a cam 90 having three projections andbetween ,theprojections three depres-v sions. The camV 90 acts on two.roll-'5 92, 94 mounted on the lower tace ot a slid-ing` member 90 whichis provided with a slotl 98 embracing a block 100 loosely -mounted onthe shaft 27. l TWhen the cam is rotated one-sixth ot a revolution'oneprojection ot thecam 90 willV leave one ot' the rolls92, 94, torinstance the roll-92, while another projection will" engagethe otherroll, for instance the roll v94., causing thesliding member 9G to Vrben'iov'ed, the nio'vement,i'in the instance cited',

being an outwardV movement. Upon' further movement of thecam Vinthe samedirecjion 'f one-sixth a revolution the slidingmember 96 will bereturned tothe posit-,ion shown.

'lo effectl rotation ofthe ratchet 88 and. the cam 90 by power a brackety102 is secured to the wiper slide 19 by a capscrew 104, the

bracket being slotted to permit Jforward and rearward adjustment ofthebraclret when the screw is loosened. A line adjustment tor the Ybracket is provided by a screw 106 threaded into tliebraclret 102 andhaving a c'apstan head which abuts against av boss 105 on the slide 19.A set screw 108 is provided to hold the nscrew 106 in adjustedposi-tionL A pawl 110 is pivoted by a pin112 to the bracket 102 and hasa tail 114 which determines. then-on mal position of the pawl 110 byengagement with a tlat'face formed on the bracket 102, in which positionthe'V pawl is held by a spring plunger 116 mounted in the bracket 102yand engaging the forward portion 0f the pawl. As the slide 19 isreciprocated the V outer lat tace'V of the pawl 110 moves back and forthparallel with one'ot the fiat faces 118 formed between the teeth of theratchet. When, however, it is desired to cause shift@ ing or the 'edgegages and other mechanism, j

the ratchet is given enough movement either 'by the knee forlr42 or bythe hand lever83 to cause a toot-h of the ratchet 88 to pass the pa'wl110, whereupon the slide 19, in its next 88 and'ca'use the slidingmember 90' to be movedrtorward if in itsrearward position-or rearward itin its forward position. To pre forward reciprocation, will rotate theratchet vent accidental backward movement of the of the ratchet when themember 90 is moved4A to its forwardv position. The paw-I 91is'held'f`The sliding` member 96 is pivoted by a pin 120 to an irregularly shapedlever 122 best shown in Fig. 4. The lever 122 is fulcrumed on thedriverstop shift-ing shaft 24 which has two lbearings 124, 125. `The lever 122is Y' formed to embrace the bearing 125 and to *have a bearing 126 onthe shaft 24 above the bearing 125 and another bearing 128 below '.thebearing 125 where it is .secured to the shaft by a set screw 130,.Movement'of the i lever 122 is thus operative to rock the shaft z24 andshift the-driver stops 22 into and out of position under the collar 23..A block 132 (Figs. 4:,and 5) is adjustably secured ina recess in the,lever 122 by a cap screw 134. Thelower portion ofthe block 132 hasarecess open at its side toreceive the end of a link 135 which isconnected atits other end to the raceway 136 by a ball and socket joint137. Preferably the link 135 is made adjustable for length by'being madein two parts `threaded together and provided with ya set nut 138 tomaintain the adjustment. In the block 132 is mounted a spring plunger139 (Fig. 5) having a conical end which engages az'zsimilarly shapedrecess in the end of the link 135 to form a pivot for the link andanoperative connection between thelink .andv Vthe lever122. In casemovement of the racefway should be obstructed, for example by lor whollyout of the recess in the link 135.'

clogging-of tacks between the raceway and separator, power movement ofthe lever 122 may still take place without danger of breakage orstraining of parts,'the spring plunger 139 in that case merely passingpartially From'F 3 it will be seen that the plunger 139 is sufficientlyeccentric to the fulcrum 24 of the lever 122 to givetherequired move-:ment to the raceway and that when the parts are in the position there.shown the fulcruni 24, the plunger 139, and the ball joint 137 arefsubstantially in a straight-line, and 'also that the face of the leveralong which the block 132 is adjustable is substantially perpendicularto thisline.l The block 132 can,

"tlierefore, be adjusted without materially varying the position of theracewayV when the yparts'are in the position shown; such adjustment ofthe block, however, will vary the movement imparted to the raceway whenthe leveris moved and provides convenientV and accurate means foralining` with the sepkarat-orthe channel 17 of the raceway which isinoperative relation to the separator when the leverl is moved fromtheposition of Fig.

3 to its other positi-on. The tackchannel16 f vmay be alined with theseparator while the partsare inthe position of Fig. 3 by loosening theset nut 138 and ,turning the ball ended portion of the link 135. Thethin edge gage 13 is arranged for horizontal sliding out ofoperative'position in apathinclined to the horizontal, being adjustablysecured by a cap screw 144 to a block 146 which is 'gibbed to inclinedways on the member 140.

The block 146 has a vertical slot 148 in its side (Fig. 3) in which ayblock 150 is arranged for lateral sliding movement. A pin 152 secured toa downwardly and inwardly projecting kportion 154 of the lever 122pass-es freely through the block 150 so that as the lever 122 is .swungthe thick edge gage 14 is'moved into and out of operative position in aninclined direction, the vertical component of that movement being takencare of by vertical sliding movement of the block 150 on the pin 152while the lateral `play of the block in the slot 148 enablesthecurvilinear movement of the lever to be translated into rectilinearmovement of the gage and bleek 140. )Vb-en the thick gage 14 is advancedthe thin gage 13 is retracted by means Yof a link 156 Connected between'the lowerend of the pin 152 and one end of a lever 158 fulcruined at 160between its ends and having its opposite end connected to one endV of alink' 162 the rother endv of which is secured by a bolt and slotconnection 164, 166 tothe thin gage 13. By adjusting the bolt 164 in theslot v166 the operative position of the thin gag-e may be varied.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the sha'itt 27 and rod 46 are extendeddownwardly so that when it is desired Ato raise the head of the machineon the column to accommodate a taller operator it is only necessaryVlifting vanes or buckets of the tack pot 174] are operated. The tack pothas two chainhers separated by a partition 176 and on th-e outer side ofeach chamber-is a member 178 fixed to a shaft 180 Vwhich extends througha sleeve 182passing through the tack pot, said shaft having ixed theretothe gear 172. The inner faces of the members 1r 8 are provided with tacklifting vanes 184 by which tacks are lifted and dropped upon i v andtack hoppers 186 which are inwardly forwardly inclined tov conductthetacks to the inner ends of the raceway channels 16',

17. In order to control the rate of passage Vof the tacks to thechambers the hoppers are so arranged that their inclination may bevaried. For this purpose inclined faces 190 are formed on lateralprojections of the parsecured together by screws 196. The upper part ofthe raceway is bifnrcated, each branch thereof passing freely through ahole in the tack pot wall, the raceway beingv therefore virtuallypivoted in the tack'pot wall so that the lower end ofv the raceway maybe moved the distancev required to eifect the change in the size oftacks supplied to the separator. The lower end of the raceway mustextend in close relation to a tack gate 200 and a separator blade- 202(Fig, 10) which are reciprocated across its end by means usual in suc-hmachines which engages a rack 2011 connected with the gate and blade202. The separator blade 202 is of the usual construction, shown, for`instance, in United States Letters Patent No. 1,030,315, granted June1912, on application of Ronald F. McFeely. To en able adjustmentI of theraceway relativ-ely to the separator to be accurately and convenientlyeifected means shown in Figs. 9 to 11 is provided. Arbracket 206, whichsup-l ports the raceway, is provided with a tongue 208 which engages a.slot 210 formed in the lower portion of the raceway, this arrangementpermitting lateral movement and slight longitudinal movement of theraceway butV preventing vertical mov-ement. Substantially midway -of theraceway it is provided on itslower side with a lateral slot which isengaged by a guide block 212 (Fig. 11) pivoted on' a stud 214 extendingupwardly from a block 216, The block 216 is provided on/its inner'sidewith a tongue 21,5 engaging a groove in the bracket 206,

H the orroove being parallel to the inclined top of tie raceway.The'block 216 is clamped to the bracketY by a cap screw 218 extendingthrough a slot in the block and threaded into the bracket 206. Atrightangles to the screw 218 is al screw 220 threaded through the block216 and engaging the screw 218.y

By loosening the screw 218 and turning the screw 220 it will be obviousVthat the block 216 and the guide block 2,12 may be moved in thedirection ofl the lengt-h of the raceway and will carry the raceway withthem while at the saine time lateral movement of the raceway to effectthe shifting of tacks will be permitted. this arrangement the lower endofthe raceway may be adjusted veryY accuratelywith relation to theseparator so asto permit free movement'of the separator.

In Fig. 10 the separator is represented in cross-section in the positionwhich it. assumes when the tack has just been separated vand V is in theact of dropping through the tack passage 222k which is formed inthevstationary separator block 224. This passagel is open on the side towardthe tacks at the time when the separator blade 202 ,selectsl thelowermost tack and causes it to pass yinto the passage 222 and is thenclosed -b f the gate 200, the tack then having a closet, pas sagethrough which to drop from the separatorv through an opening226`in theseparater support and ijntothe tack pocketef the wiper 15l which at thatt-iine'is positioned beneath it. Y "f' l The tack channels 16, 17are-formed by plates 230 vattached to the body of the raceway 136 inspaced relation therefrom by Y bolts 232. In the presentconstructionthese plates are made sufficiently wide and the racewayAsufficiently deep to accommodate tacks ofv greater length than haveheretofore been called for in'machinesof thiStype, 4-ounce tacks orlarger being provided for.

With the top of the raceway down which the edge of the tacks slideinclinedr at an angle of SOVdegrees, which is the usual angle yinmachines of this typefand which has been found v'sutlicient to ensurereliable travelofthe tacks by gravity, it is found that the stems of thetacks, instead of hanging in a vertical position, are inclined inwardlyaway from the separator at an angle of,say, Y.

10 or 1 2' degreesto the vertical.'` VInt-hev prior construction thetackgate 200 andthe tack passage 222 were vertical andfdiiiiculty was foundin securing reliable tacksepara-l ti'on. This failure of the separatorto sepa-` ratetacks was found to be due to the dierence between thenatural hanging angle' of the tacks in the raceway and the lane of thetack gate and the l direction o the tack passage 222. Accordingly in thepresent construction ,the plane ofy action 'of the tack gate 200 and thedi'rection'of the tack passage 222'are made lto approximate the fnatural hanging angle of the tack WlfvllV the p result that a tack issecured upon each reciprocation of the separator blade 202.'

The gripper 10 is connectedl to the for-'5 ward. end lof an updra-wlever 2,40 pivoted between its ends at 242 toV lugs 243,245 on the frameand connected. through ay spring 247 to a slide 244 which isoperated kbya suitable cam on the shaft '6. `The closing movement of the gripper iseifected vby a rockshaft 246 which has two arms, one arm 248 operatingthrough a link 250 to thrust downwardly upon the movable jaw of thegripper and the other arm 252 carrying. ay roll 253 which is acted uponby. a gripper closing Y cam 25,4. The rockshaft i246 isy journaled nearits'- forward end in a lug 255 `lon `,the lever 24() and at its V.rea-rend (Figs.

7 and 8) is journaled in an ear 256 on the i rment of the'lever 240 aswell'as excessive wearjon the-roll and cam. Alsothelongitudinalthrust'on the pin 242 by the action :of the cam 254 causesundue friction of the Vlever on- .the lugs 243, 245 which furtherinterferesV with the full up'draw effect of the spring 247 jupon thegripper. To overcome these objectionablefeatures-of the prior con- Istruction the construction shown in Figs. 7

and 8 is provided. The roll 253 is movable longitudinally of its pivotpin 258 and ball vbearings are provided forl the roll'which not onlyallow free turning ot the roll on the pin 258'b`ut also permit the pinto move *freelyflongitudinally in the roll as the arm *.252 is moved toand fro in the direction Vof the arrow in Fig. 7 during the updraw-movement This construction obviatee the drag dueto the resistance ofthe roll, ask usu. ally constructed, to transverse movementrelatively'to the face of the cam 254i To overcome the binding of the updraw leveronits'bearing-dueto the Vlongitudinal stressr on the pin 242, a yballVthrust bearing is pro- Y vided on theend of thepin opposite to the arm252'.Y `The bearing comprises a washer l Y260V looseV on the pin 242 andin contactwith the lug 245 of the frame, .a washer r262 splined onthepin. and a ball cage 264`be-v i i tween the 'Washers 260,262. The'endof the pin is threaded to receive a nutV 266 and a set nut 267. V,Thepin `242 is'held in the lever 240 by a setY screw 2,68so that the pinhas to move with the lever 240A and binding of the ear v256: onrltherockshaft 246 isV prevented'.

VSince thepin 242 is iXed in' the lever 240' the thrust bearing maybeadjusted by the nuts 266, 267 so as to permitfree movement of Vthe leverwith relation to the lug 245. and` to prevent frictional contact of thelever240 lwith the lug 248, the longitudinal thrust ofV the pinr 242,due to the action of the cam 254 on the roll 253 being taken entirelybythe ball thrust bearing 264. e Various novel features of theconstruction Y. of lthe illustrated machine including the.

` mechanism for .automatically shifting the edgegages, 'herein shown anddescribed but notclaimed, is being4k disclosed and claimed in lmy ecopending application Serial No.

641,6S5`,iled May 26, 1923, which is in partf e ia continuation ot thisapplication. y

vIIaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent ot' the United vStates is:

l. In a machine ot the class described, the combination of an inclinedraceway having a plurality cit tack channels down which tacks travelsupported by their heads with their stemsinclinedv out of the verticalin a direction away 'from theend ot the raceway, and a separator for thetacks arranged to separate tacks -from either channel and having adelivery'passageinclined to the vertical at an angle approximating thenatural hanging angle oi thetacks in the raceway.

.2, En a machine of the vclass described, the combination ot an inclinedraceway having plurality of tack channels down which tacks descend bygravity and supported with `their stems disposed at an angle to thevertical constituting the naturalv hangingV .angle oit the tacks,4 asingle tack separator constructed andY arranged to reciprocate acrossthe end ot either channel in the raceway and to separate tacks one -atatime from either column `of tacks inthe raceway, and a block supportingthe separator and having f a passage through which the tacks tall afterseparation. lsaid passage being inclined to `thevertical at an angleapproximating the natural hanging angle of the tacks.

7 3. ln a machine oit' the Vclass described, the'combination of yaVraceway having a plurality of tack channels along which tacks areimpelled by gravity while supported by their heads in such a manner thattheir stems are disposed out of the vertical, a separator block at theend of the raceway having ra tack passage openen the side toward theraceway, said passage being inclined to the vertical at substantiallyrthe hanging angle of the tacks, a single separator Ablade ,are rangedfor -reciprocation and acting toV separate a tack from a column of tacksin either channel of the raceway-and to transfer the tack through theslot in the passage, and a gate to close the slot and ,form a lillpassage with continuous walls after the tackis released by the blade. Yl

4. In a machine kofthe class described, the combination of a racewayhaving a plurality of tack channels along which tacks are impelled bygravity while supported'on their heads in such` a manner that theirstems are disposed out ofthe vertical, a separator block at Athe end ofthe raceway having a single Ytack passage-open on the side toward theraceway,lthe raceway being shiftable to aline either channel with theopening, a separator blade arranged for reciprocation and acting toseparate a tack trom column of tacks in the raceway and to .transfer thetack through the opening into the passage, and a gate to close theopening and Vform a vpassage withcontinuousA walls for the tack whenreleased by the blade, said gate being arranged 'tor recipro- Y ing aplurality of'tack channels down which .tacks travel supported .by theirheads with their stems inclined out of the vertical in a direction awayfrom the end of the raceway, a reciprocatiiig separator tor the tacksincluding a tack gate inclined to the vertical at arrangle approximatingthe natural hanging angle ot the tacks iny the racewayg and means forshifting the raceway to aline either channel with the separator. Y i

6. In a machine of the class described", the combination of an inclinedraceway hav ing a plurality of tack channels down which tacks descend bygravity and supported with their stems disposed V'atv an angle to thevertical constituting tlie l*natural hanging angle ot the tacks, asingle tack separator including a tack gate constructed and ar ranged toreciprocate across the end of the raceway and to separate at will tacksone at a time from either column ot tacks in the raceway, and a blocksupporting the separator and having a passage through which the tacksfall atter separation, said passage'being closed at' itsside by the gateand said gate being inclined to the vertical atan angle approximatingthe natural liangraceway to aline either tack channel with the tackpassage oi the separator block, a

separator blade arranged for reciprocation and acting` to separate atack from a column oit vtacks in the raceway and to transfer the tackthrough the opening into'the passage, and a gate to close the openingand form a passagertor the tackl when released by the blade, said gatebeing-arranged for recipro-V cation ina plane inclined to the verticalatl approximately the natural hanging angle ot the tack'in the i'aceway.

S. In a machine of the class described, a raceway for tacks, a tackseparator at one end ot the raceway, a tack iot at the other Y end otthe raceway into which the raceway channels leading from the Vtack potto the separator, said raceway passing freely through the tack pot wallto permit transverse movement et theraceway with respect to theseparator, and means for supporting' the raceway between its endscomprising a block mounted for .adjustment lengthwise of the racen'ayand a guide piveted to ftheV block andengaging a transverse slot in theVraceway. l Y

l0. In a machine ot the class described, atack pot, a separator, araceway having tack channels extending from the interior ot thel tackpot to the separator, the iaceway being supported inthe tack pot walland at `its lowere'nd for lengthwise movement, ay support for theraceway located-'between the ends of the raceway, outside ofthe tackpot,

for eft'ectinga fine adjustment of the sup-V port to vary theVlongitudinal position of ,the raceway relatively to the separator.

11. In a machine of the class described, the lcombination eta racewaysupport, a raceway provided with a plurality of ytack .channels andarrangedfor lengthwise and transverse movement on the support, a`separator with respect to which the raceway is moved lengthwise toradjustment ot theend of the raceway in proper operative relation to theseparator and isshifted.transversely Vto bring either raceway intooperative relaf tion lto the separator, a block mounted onv the supportforV movement lengthwise of the raceway, .a guide pivotedto said blockand engaging a ltransverse slot in the raceway, and a line radjustmentfor movingv the vblock and guide to effect lengthwise adjust,- inent ofthe raceway.

12. In a machine of ythe class described, the combination ot a tack pot,a separator, a raceway having a plurality of tack channels which arecontinuous' from the interior of the tack pot to the'separator, theraceway being movable as on a pivot at its point of passage through thetack pot wall, an

edge gage' arranged to slide into and out of.

operative position, means under control ot' the operator for shiftingthe lower end of the raceway to aline the different channels with' thesepa! and power operated` rator and for shifting the edge gage into Yand out of operative position.

13. In a machine of `the class described, the combination of a tack pot,a separator, a raceway having a plurality oft tack channels continuousfrom the interior ofthe tack pot to the separatorand having a lateralVf3V i i 1,623,279

"block for engaging theV lateral slot in the kvjio raceway, and` meansfor adjusting the block Y `lon,gitulinally ofthe raceway, said slotper'- mitting lateral shifting movement of `the iaceway. K ,Y Y

14. In a machine of' the class described, a,

raeewa fhavin@ aV luralitv oftack chair.

, .Y b Y nels, a piish. and pull Vrod Vconnected to the raceway7V aseparator, mechanism tor operating the rod to present either channel invoperative relation to the separator, and a f yielding connectionbetween the rod and saidv mechanism, n

adapted to yield upon movement of. the 15 said connection being shiftingmechanism in either direction-.in

case movement of theraceway is obstructed. 15. In a machine of the classdescribed, a

raceway having a plurality of tack channels,

a separator,V power ineaiisrfor Vshifting the raceway topresent eitherchannel in operative relation to the separator,k and slip Connectionsbetween the iaceway and said power shifting means normally operative toshift the raceway and Vconstructed` and arranged to permit relativemovement between the raceivay 'and the shitting means under abnormalstrain to prevent breakage of parts. Y

16. In a machine of the class described, a raceway having a plurality oftack channels, a separator, power means for shifting the raceway topresent .eitherchaiiiiel inbloperative relation tothe separator, andconnections between the raeeway and said power shifting means comprisinga link having a conical recess and a spring-pressed plunger on the powershifting means. e

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

T ,i-ioMAsH. einem?.

